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8th Air Force mission 221; V-1 launching site, France; February 13, 1944; 447th Bomb Group strike photo
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390th Bomb Group, 571st Bomb Squadron, CREW 70 . Personnel Log entry from my uncles journey ,
Official description
Not yet known
Description
17 V-Wepons sites in France are the primary targets for this mission. The mission is divided into two separate forces: one force of B-24s from 2nd Bomb Division and one force of B-17s from 3rd Bomb Division. Mission summary follows:
2nd Bomb Division: A combined force of 192 B-24s from: 44BG; 93BG; 389BG; 392BG; 445BG; 446BG; 448BG, and 453BG are depatched to attack 5 V-Weapon sites in the Pas-de Calaise area of France. The sites are difficult to find and the bombers divert to bomb Maires Mins and German-occupied buldings as Targets of Opprotunity (TOs). 138 aircraft are effective on Maries Mine and 12 others are effective on German-occupied buildings. All aircraft managed to Return to Base (RTB), but 2 with battle damage are declared Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) in crash landings - 20RTD. 57 aircraft are damaged. There are no claims on enemy aircraft in this force.
3rd Bomb Division: A combined force of 277 B-17s from: 94BG; 95BG; 96BG; 100BG; 385BG; 388BG; 390BG; and 447BG are despatched to bomb 12 V-Weapon sites in the Pas-de-Calaise area of France. 266 aircraft are effective on a target. 4 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 14KIA 11POW 15EVD. 2 aircraft with battle damage are declared Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) in crash landings back in England - 1KIA 19RTD. 7 airmen in returning aircraft are KIA and 23 are WIA. 74 aircraft are damaged. The bomber gunners in this force claim 0-1-0 of attacking German aircraft.
Mission details
1. MARIES MINE BUILDINGS (Opportunistic)
Description
INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
It has not been determined which Groups from 2nd Bomb Division attacked this target.
Mission Statistics
Tonnage dropped |
33.00 |
Number of aircraft Sent |
12 |
Number of aircraft Effective |
12 |
2. PAS DE CALAIS (Primary)
Description
V-1 MISSILE SITES
Aircraft type
B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes
12 sites are bombed. By 3rd Bomb Division Groups.
Units
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Group
"The Bloody Hundredth", so-called because of a reputation for losing a high number aircraft and crews, flew B-17s from Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk. Their losses were not the highest of any Eighth Air Force Group but on several occasions the Group lost many...
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Group
The 385th Bomb Group, who took the nickname "Van's Valiants" after their first Commanding Officer Col. Elliot Vandevanter, flew B-17s from Great Ashfield, Suffolk. The Group led the famous attack on the Focke-Wolfe aircraft factory at Marienburg on 9...
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Group
The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran...
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Group
The 390th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Framlingham, Suffolk, between July 1943 and the end of the war in Europe. The Group was engaged in strategic missions until the invasion of Europe when its role became more of a tactical one. This...
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Group
The 447th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses on strategic bombardment missions out of Rattlesden, Suffolk. With their first mission coming on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1943, their main focus was hitting sites that would weaken enemy forces...
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Group
The 452nd Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Deopham Green, Norfolk, from January 1944. The air crews hit strategic sites in Germany but also supported the movement of ground forces across Europe after D-Day. On 6 June 1944 itself, the Group...
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Group
Activated 15 June 1942 at MacDill Field, Florida. Initial organization and training at Pendleton Field, Oregon on 29 June 1942. Primary flight training at Davis-Monthan Field in Arizona from 28 Aug. 42 to 31 Oct. 42; then at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas...
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Group
The 95th Bomb Group was the only Eighth Air Force Group to be awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations. The first, shared by all four Bomb Wing Groups, was for the bombing of an aircraft factory under intense enemy fire at Regensburg on 17 August...
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Group
The 96th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses to targets across occupied Europe from May 1943 to April 1945.
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Mission Statistics
Tonnage dropped |
734 T HE |
Number of aircraft Sent |
277 |
Number of aircraft Effective |
266 |
Number of aircraft Missing In Action |
4 |
Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair |
2 |
Number of aircraft Damaged |
74 |
Number of people Killed In Action |
21 |
Number of people Wounded in Action |
23 |
Number of people Evaded |
15 |
Number of people Prisoners of War |
11 |
Number of people Returned To Duty |
34 |
Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Fighter Command |
1 |
3. PAS DE CALAIS (Primary)
Description
V-1 MISSILE SITES
Aircraft type
B-24 Liberator
Notes
5 sites are bombed by 2nd Bomb Division Groups.
Units
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Group
The 389th Bomb Group, known in more familiar terms as "the Sky Scorpions", flew strategic bombing missions in B-24 Liberators from Hethel, England. They also sent detachments to join bases in North Africa at Benghazi No. 10, Libya, between 3 July 1943...
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Group
The 392nd Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators out of Wendling, Norfolk from August 1943 until April 1945. They were the first Group allocated B-24H Liberators, the first B-24 series fitted with a nose turret on the production line. The adaptation increased...
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Group
The 445th Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators from Tibenham, Norfolk. The crews' first mission was bombing U-boat installations at Kiel on 13 December 1943. The Group continued to hit strategic targets in Germany, including the aircraft components factory...
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Group
The 446th Bomb Group, who came to be known as "the Bungay Buckaroos" after the name of their Suffolk base, flew B-24 Liberators on strategic, support and interdictory missions over Europe. The Group led the Eighth Air Force and 2nd Bomb Division on the...
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Group
The 448th Bombardment Group was organized on 6 April 1943 and activated on 1 May 1943 at Gowen Field, near Boise, Idaho. The initial training of the air crews took place in Florida. The entire group was assembled Wendover Field, Utah. Both air and...
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Group
The 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 15-January-1942 at McDill Field, Florida and equipped with B-24Cs. The Group moved to Barksdale Field, Louisiana and acted as a training unit for the 90th 93rd and 98th Bomb Groups and flew anti...
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Group
As well as strategic bombardment missions, the 453rd Bomb Group also ferried cargo on two occasions. They hauled petrol, blankets, and rations to France in September 1944 and dropped ammunition, food and medical supplies near Wesel during the airborne...
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Group
93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1-March-1942 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15-May-1942 the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida to continue advanced flight training and also to fly anti-submarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico; they...
Mission Statistics
Tonnage dropped |
404.00 |
Number of aircraft Sent |
180 |
Number of aircraft Effective |
138 |
Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair |
2 |
Number of aircraft Damaged |
57 |
Number of people Returned To Duty |
20 |
Service
People
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Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Tail Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
On a mission to Poznan, Poland, B-17G #42-39894 'Barbara' left the formation due to a fuel leak and was shot down by fighters, exploded in mid-air, and crashed near Funen, Denmark on 20 Feb 1944. Prisoner of War (POW).
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 95th Bomb Group
After fighter attacks set fire to the left wing on a mission to Klein Machnow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-38024 crashed near Oldenburg, GR after the crew baled out. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 95th Bomb Group
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 453rd Bomb Group
Shot down 8 April 1944 in B-24 #41-28650 'Rooster', Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
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Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator | 388th Bomb Group
On a mission to Klein Machnow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, another B-17 from the 388th went out of control after being attacked by fighters and collided with B-17G #42-40054 which exploded and crashed SE of Emmen, Holland. Killed in Action (KIA). Died of...
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Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator | 95th Bomb Group
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 95th Bomb Group
After fighter attacks set fire to the left wing on a mission to Klein Machnow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-38024 crashed near Oldenburg, GR after the crew baled out. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
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Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Tail Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
On the return from a mission to Klein Machnow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-37886 'Blitzing' Betsy' was severely damaged by attacks from several FW190s causing it to collide with another 388th B-17, exploding in mid-air and crashing near Emmen,...
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Military | First Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 95th Bomb Group
Flew 27 missions
DFC, AM, Unit Citation
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Military | Lieutenant | Navigator | 446th Bomb Group
Flew 25 missions, ending just before D-Day. Flew on D Day just to see it. According to him, he never saw a German fighter but did see lots of flak.
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Aircraft
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B-24 Liberator
Assigned to 712th Bomb Squadron, 448th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force.
...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Sioux City 14/5/43; Smoky Hill 11/6/43; Dow Fd 16/6/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 17/6/43; transferred Aphrodite project, Missing in Action V-sites, Watten 6/8/44 with Lt Joeseph P Andrecheck & T/Sgt Raymond Healy (2...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 31/10/43; Kearney 13/11/43; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-G] Horham 1/1/44; flak damage Berlin 6/10/44 with Lester Lennox, Co-pilot: Bob McCoy (2 Returned to Duty); Navigator: Bill Tate, Bombardier: Dick White, Flight engineer/top turret...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 13/11/43; Gt Falls 15/11/43; Denver 22/11/43; Kearney 27/11/43; Presque Is 25/12/43; Assigned 569BS/390BG [CC-H] Framlingham 2/1/44; suffered n/battle damaged hitting tree at Grundisburgh Hall, Sfk, being slow timed on 2/6/44, with...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 12/12/43; Kearney 30/12/43; RAF Nutts Corner 14/1/44; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 17/1/44; Missing in Action Liege 25/5/44 with Capt Jim Zengerle, Co-pilot: Albt Millin, Navigator: Walt Travis, Bombardier: Capt Wayne Barnett,...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 6/1/44; Kearney 15/1/44; Romulus 23/1/44; Grenier 25/1/44; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-J] Horham 2/2/44; transferred 412BS [QW-J]; 98m, with S.D. Reed, force landed RAF Coltishakk, 8RTD, 1WIA; Returned to the USA 121 BU Bradley 21/6/44;...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 30/4/43; Dow Fd 13/6/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 14/6/43; on training mission 12/7/44 with Major Boardman Reed, Co-pilot: Major Melvin Buckner, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Paul Weathers, Radio Operator: Ora Kelsey, pass...
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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 2/10/43; Gr Island 21/10/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 25/10/43; Missing in Action Berlin 6/3/44 with Lowell Watts captured by civilians, Co-pilot: Bob Kennedy, Navigator: Emmett Murphy, Bombardier: Ed Kelley, Flight engineer...